Diving into the Advantages of Infant Swimming

ByEuroKids Hours Posted on Hours Updated on
infant-swimming

Do you know the benefits of baby swimming?
“Teaching your infant to swim can help their brain grow. Starting infant swimming at a young age can improve their reading skills later in life and reduce their risk of drowning.”

Caitlin Boyle, Carren Gill, M.D

Like any other sport, everyone enjoys swimming, regardless of age. It also has many health benefits. Even after surgery, doctors often suggest swimming as the buoyancy of water lessens the strain on your bones and joints, aiding in a pain-free recovery.

5 Interesting Swimming Benefits for babies

Infant swimming can be a scary thought for some parents. Taking a baby who is still unable to walk for swimming may seem crazy to many, but believe it or not, infant swimming has numerous benefits. Here are some of the interesting advantages of baby swimming.

Have you seen babies learn to swim in pools?

  1. Helps in brain development

    2. One of the advantages of swimming in early childhood is that it helps in developing your child’s brain. Infant swimming, with its bilateral cross-patterning movements, can promote cognitive functioning in babies. These movements help in the building of neurons in the brain. It especially helps in the development of corpus callosum. The primary function of the corpus callosum is to ensure that both sides of a human brain can connect and send signals to each other.  There are many swimming benefits for babies; it helps to improve skills such as reading, language development, academic learning, and spatial awareness.

  2. Helps in building muscles

    3. One of the benefits of swimming in early childhood is that it helps in the child’s muscle development. When babies swim, it helps their muscles grow more robust and improves their ability to control their bodies. They develop the muscles to hold their head, move their arms and legs, and coordinate their core.

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  3. Swimming is a life-saving skill

    4. Learning how to swim is incredibly important as it is a life-saving skill. One of the infant swim lessons is that as people get older, their fear of water can intensify, making it harder for them to learn to swim. Therefore, infant swimming proves beneficial in overcoming potential water-related fears and barriers later in life.

  4. Better sleep and appetite

    5. Interesting fact: Did you know infants sleep better after swimming? 

    One of the benefits of infant swim lessons is that it improves your child’s sleep and appetite. Swimming can improve your baby’s eating habits and longer sleep duration. The physical activity involved in swimming can stimulate their appetite, leading to better eating patterns. Additionally, energy expenditure during swimming can promote tiredness, aiding in longer and more restful sleep for infants. By incorporating swimming into their routine, you can enhance your baby’s eating and sleeping habits, positively impacting their overall well-being.

  5. Source of enjoyment and fun for babies

    6. Pantages, the most notable aspect of infant swimming, provide a source of enjoyment and fun for babies. There are toddler pools available in the market that you can purchase and set up at home. These pools are easy to carry and fill with water. These toddler pools promote infant water play activities. Alternatively, you can choose to visit a baby swimming pool. One advantage of a baby swimming pool is that your baby will have the chance to interact with other babies, allowing them to participate in enjoyable infant water play activities. Babies in pools have the most fun splashing and giggling with joy!

Dive In or Wait? Deciding When to Introduce Swimming to Infants

According to experts, parent-child swimming classes can begin as early as age 1, but it ultimately depends on your child’s readiness. It’s important to note that newborns and infants under 12 months old are not developmentally able to lift their heads above water to breathe, so swimming lessons are inappropriate for them at that stage. You can use a toddler pool for your baby’s first year of engaging in parent-child water plays. It will help them to familiarise themselves with the water and will also help them to overcome their fear of water. Also, determining the right time for swimming lessons, consider your child’s emotional maturity, physical abilities, interest in learning to swim, and comfort level in the water. Most children are typically ready for regular swimming lessons around 4 when they can grasp basic skills like floating, treading water, and finding a way out. If you need more clarification about when to start swimming lessons, consult your child’s healthcare provider for personalised advice.

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How to Start Teaching Swimming to Infants? 9 Essential Steps

You have read about the benefits of infant swim lessons. Now let us read about how to start it.

  1. The first and most important thing is to help your child feel comfortable in the water.
  2. Engage them in infant water play activities.
  3. When you go to the pool, choose a quiet time to avoid scaring your baby. Stay close, hold your baby, and gradually explore the water together.
  4. Bring bath toys to the baby swimming pool to make it familiar.
  5. Keep pool visits short and avoid going near meal or nap times.
  6. Floatation devices can help but aren’t enough for infant water safety.
  7. Show your child how to blow bubbles and lay them on their back to kick and splash. Once they feel comfortable, teach them to put their head underwater and hold their breath.
  8. They must learn to roll from face-down to face-up if they accidentally fall into the water.
  9. Make sure you always stay alert.

Conclusion

In conclusion, infant swimming offers numerous benefits for babies. It helps their brain development and muscle building and promotes essential life-saving skills. It also improves their sleep and appetite and provides an enjoyable activity for infants. These infant swimming lessons can start as early as age 1, considering the child’s readiness and development. The key is to help the child feel comfortable in the water through gradual exploration. Always prioritise infant water safety and supervision while teaching your child to swim. What are your thoughts on our suggestions?

At EuroKids, we understand the benefits of infant swim lessons. We ensure that you get complete knowledge about infant swimming. Click here to learn more or to visit a Eurokids centre for preschool admission for your child.

References

https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/infant-swimming

https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/4-tips-to-choose-the-right-swimsuit-for-your-baby-2/

https://www.verywellfamily.com/how-to-teach-an-infant-to-swim-5324542

For informative and accurate articles on all things related to your new born-toddler’s development, growth, health and nutrition, follow EuroKids Blogs and do check out our nationally recognized preschools – EuroKids for the first step in your kid’s educational journey!

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EuroKids is recognized as India’s most respected early childhood education brand, with over 21 years of experience, and has a presence in 350+ cities & 3 countries. The journey began in 2001 with 2 preschools and since then the group has consistently raised the bar for preschool education through its innovative and mindful curriculum – EUNOIA, which helps children grow holistically in a home-like environment.